What's Safer: Thawing Meat In Water Or In The Microwave?

There are a lot of ways to thaw out those burgers or that chicken, but not all of them are safe. The safest way is to allow meat to thaw in the refrigerator. But that can take hours; what do you do when you need to get dinner out ASAP and you've got nothing but a pallet of rock-hard beef patties in your freezer? We asked food-safety experts from the Department of Food Science at Pennsylvania State University, Catherine Cutter and Stephanie Doores, for their advice.

Cold Water
Suggested method:Place frozen meat in a sealed zip-lock bag and place in a tub of water. Either maintain a constant flow of cool running water or replace the water every 30 minutes.

Pros: Letting the frozen meat thaw while submerged in cold water is faster than fridge thawing, and like fridge thawing, it keeps the meat from getting warm enough for germs to grow. And it won't partially cook the meat the way microwave thawing can. According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service at the US Department of Agriculture, a pound of meat or poultry can defrost this way in about an hour.

Cons: This method requires much more attention than microwave or fridge thawing. When you thaw in cold water, you need to change the water every 30 minutes or allow a stream of water to flow onto the product. "This will help keep the water at a more constant temperature to better facilitate thawing, while keeping the temp low enough to prevent bacterial pathogens from growing," our experts noted. Another key is making sure the bag does not leak, which can lead to soggy meat and allow bacteria in.

MicrowavePros: Definitely the fastest method of all, microwave thawing is convenient and doesn't require much added attention.Cons: The most obvious is that microwave thawing can partially cook your meat, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. But it does mean you have to cook the meat immediately after you thaw it, to prevent bacteria from proliferating in warm spots. You also need to pay attention to the packaging, say our food-safety experts. "Some packaging will melt when exposed to a hot product or to the steam generated during the heating process," they say. In addition, the foam trays on which most meat is sold are not designed to be heated and may emit a harmful chemical called styrene when put in the microwave.

The verdict
Go with the microwave. It's the fastest method and the safest—you don't need to worry about constantly changing the water, so there's less chance that you'll forget about your half-thawed chicken that may be regrowing bacteria. For burgers, you can thaw them as part of the cooking process without any additional pre-thawing. You just have to ensure they reach the proper temperature inside without burning them to a crisp on the outside. Bonus: Frozen patties are easier to handle.

However, microwaving isn't a perfect solution either, and there are a few additional tips to keep in mind:
• Take the meat off any foam trays that it may have come with. Put it on a plate to prevent exposure to chemicals that may be released from the foam or the plastic wrap upon heating.
• Cook the meat immediately after thawing.
• Plan ahead next time. Refrigerator thawing is the safest defrosting method, and you can store meat in the fridge for up to 5 days before cooking it.
• Start with a lower temperature initially to thaw and then increase it to cook the meat. Always use a meat thermometer to ensure the proper internal temp has been reached.

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